Riches and Rags
by Evil Cosmic Triplets
Summary: Ron and Draco have to share a room during their school's ski trip. Why does Ron always have the worst luck? (A glimpse into an alternate universe where there is no magic, Draco is a reformed bully, and Ron is still poor; can be read as pre-slash, though it doesn't have to)


**Disclaimer:** I do not own the characters of this work of fiction, and no profit is being made through the writing of this, monetary or otherwise.

 **A/N:** Written for the forum, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Fanfiction Writing Month: September (word count, 965); for the Writing Club Trope of the Month, Sharing is Caring, Trope: Sharing a Bed, Prompt #2. Word: Ripoff; and the Insane House Challenge, 706: First Line: What was he supposed to do now?

 **Warning:** Pre-slash (if you so choose to read it that way); AU: no magic and Draco is out of character for reasons that are not disclosed; this is more of a glimpse into another universe than a story that is going to be completely wrapped up

* * *

 _What was he supposed to do now?_ Ron thought as he surveyed the room that he and Draco Malfoy would be sharing. It was bigger than the room he had at home, but he could tell that the other boy was none too happy about it. No doubt the rich boy was used to finer things. The last thing that Ron wanted to deal with was a whining roommate, never mind the fact that they'd only have to actually share the space in the evenings and mornings. He was definitely going to spend a lot of time out on the slopes and in the lobby with his friends.

"This is a rip-off," Draco said, running a hand through his hair. He turned and glared at Ron, gesturing toward the single bed in the room that they'd been assigned to share for their week-long spring break to the mountains.

Ron shrugged. The bed was bigger than the one that he had at home. The one that he sometimes shared with Harry when his friend came over toward the end of their summer break.

"I'm going to -"

"The place is completely booked," Ron said, cutting Draco off before the boy could go into a rant. "Look, we'll just take turns sleeping in the bed."

Draco snorted at that and shook his head. "That may be well and fine for you, Weasley, but I am not going to sleep on the floor like some kind of penniless waif."

Ron gritted his teeth, hand clenching into a fist at his side. He wondered, not for the first time, why he and the privileged Draco Malfoy had been assigned to room together. Why couldn't he have shared a room with Harry or with one of his other friends? They wouldn't be fighting about who got the bed then, and his friends wouldn't be taking cheap potshots at him.

"Look, it's only for a week," Ron said, willing himself not to blow up at the wealthy boy. "Let's just make the most of it."

Draco shook his head and sank down onto the bed. "If my father got word of this..." he trailed off and proceeded to frown down at the bed.

"I'm sure that daddy would rescue his precious little golden boy from having to share a bed with a nasty, penniless little waif like myself," Ron said, his temper getting the better of him in spite the mantra he'd been repeating to himself since the start of the trip - _I must not kill Draco Malfoy. It's only a week. I can endure anything for a week._

Draco frowned and lay back on the bed, fingers pulling at a loose thread on the bedspread. Ron rolled his eyes. Draco was the most annoying person in the world, and he just had to be stuck rooming with him for a solid week. Life was not fair.

"Fine," Draco said, pulling the thread completely loose from the bedspread and sitting up abruptly. "Fine, we'll share the bed."

Ron blinked at the other boy and frowned when Draco's normally pale skin grew pink under his scrutiny. Clearly something was going on with the other boy. Something that Ron didn't want to spend too much time analyzing just then. They were at a retreat in the mountains, and though he'd never been skiing before, he'd always dreamed about it. There was still some daylight left, and he had told Harry and Neville that he'd meet them in the lobby in an hour. He didn't have time to worry about Draco's sudden change of heart, or why the boy suddenly looked so vulnerable, holding himself as he watched Ron put his clothing away.

"Did you hear me?" Draco asked just as Ron put away the final item of clothing and shut the drawer he'd chosen.

"I heard you," Ron said, not turning around, afraid of what he'd see if he did.

"I'm going to meet Harry and Neville in the lobby," Ron said when the silence had stretched on a little too long for his liking, filling the air with tension. He turned to face the other boy, biting his lip as he took in Draco's appearance. Draco looked small and so different than Ron was used to. It was startling.

"You can join us if you like," Ron offered, heart hammering in his chest and his mind accusing him of being a complete idiot for offering such a thing to the other teen.

Draco's lips curled in a sneer, and Ron shook his head. "Or not," he said, turning away.

He didn't have time for this, and didn't need the reminder that he was sharing a room with a boy who, up until this year of high school, had set about making his life (and the lives of his friends) miserable. He didn't know what had changed for Draco this year, but whatever it was had made him more withdrawn and had made the boy stop bullying Ron and his friends. It didn't make Ron like him or anything, but it was hard not to pity the other boy.

"Give me a minute," Draco said, sighing. The bed groaned when he stood, and Ron shook his head, turning around to watch as Draco put his clothing away in the drawer that Ron had left for him. "Someone's got to keep you and those idiots you hang out with from killing themselves on the ski slopes."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he said, bumping his shoulder against Draco's as they went for the door at the same time.

Maybe sharing a room, and a bed, with Draco Malfoy wouldn't be so bad after all, Ron thought as they raced each other through the halls, getting a harsh scolding from Mr. Snape as they did so.


End file.
